NEWCASTLE will renew their efforts in the New Year to recruit Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka as Alan Shearer's long-term successor.

Chelsea's England defender Wayne Bridge will also be a target for Magpies boss Graeme Souness, who has ruled out January moves for Celtic's Stilian Petrov and Deportivo La Coruna's hardman Aldo Duscher.

But, after rebuffing Newcastle's summer efforts to capture Viduka, the indications are that Boro may be prepared to cash in.

Souness has long been an admirer of the Australia skipper and the fact that Viduka has publicly declared his unhappiness with Boro boss Steve McClaren's rotation system has reignited his interest.

Boro paid Leeds £4.5m for Viduka but the word on Teesside is they would settle for about £3.5m.